The Honorable Thing
by Scribe1270
Summary: Ron is the victim of one of Voldemort's plots to cause Harry pain.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, etc. just the story below.  
  
To all appearances it was an average friday night at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but Albus Dumbledore wasn't going to bet so much as a bronze knut on it. Something was up, he could sense it. But what? He sighed. Maybe he was just getting old and paranoid like Moody. He doused the lights and went to bed.  
  
Meanwhile, off in the room of requirement two boys were celebrating the ancient rite of passage most commonly known as the first drink.  
  
"Tell me again Ron, where did you get this bottle of firewhiskey?"  
  
"The twins gave it me, along with an apology for all the mean pranks they've pulled on me over the years," Ron told Harry. In truth he'd found it next to his bed that morning with a note saying it was from a friend, but he wasn't about to tell Harry that he didn't know who it was from.  
  
Harry was a bit incredulous that the twins would ever be serious enough to apologize to their youngest brother for anything, but decided to keep his opinion to himself. An hour and several shots of firewhiskey later he was beyond caring who had sent it. He had better things to do with his time. ________________________________________________________  
Ron Weasley awoke to a head the size of Gringott's, and made a silent vow to himself to never touch another drop of firewhiskey as long as he lived. Then he became aware that 1) he was lying in a bed 2) that he was naked and 3) that he wasn't alone. Slowly he turned in the bed to see whom was sleeping next to him, and almost screamed. Harry! He was in bed with his best friend, and judging from certain evidence that he was personally aware of they had done more than just sleep in the same bed. This was going to be awkward. ________________________________________________________  
Three weeks had passed since the night in the room of requirement and though things between him and Harry had been awkward at first they were still good friends. After all they had rationalized, they had been drunk when they'd had sex and neither of them could really remember the act itself with any clarity. One minute they'd been drinking together and the next they had awakened to find themselves in quite the intimate and embarassing situation. Anyway it wasn't likely to happen again. Both of them had vowed to stay away from firewhiskey for life.  
As he approached the great hall Ron caught the scent of food and felt his stomach roil in rebellion. Altering his course he dashed to the nearest boys bathroom and proceeded to worship the porcelain god. What was wrong with him? For the last few days almost like clockwork he'd ended up bent over a toilet bowl before breakfast. He sighed. There was nothing else for it. He'd have to see Madame Pomfrey, and soon. _________________________________________________________  
Ron opened his eyes to find himself in the infirmary. How had he gotten here? The last thing he remembered he'd been in potions class. He and Harry had been partnered up together for a change. One moment they'd been making a basic spot remover potion and the next he'd found himself here.  
  
"Good afternoon Mr. Weasley. Feeling better?"  
  
Ron turned to face the normally stern face of Madame Pomfrey. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Madame Pomfrey looked nervous, and behind her stood a very guilty looking Professor Snape.  
  
"W-what's going on?"  
  
"Just rest for a bit Mr. Weasley. I'll explain later."  
  
"No. Now. Please."  
  
Madame Pomfrey sighed. "Very well Mr. Weasley. It seems that someone slipped you a gravis potion within the last few weeks."  
  
Ron must have had a puzzled look on his face because Madame Pomfrey continued.  
  
"The Gravis potion is something that a witch takes if she is having trouble baring offspring, and ..."  
  
"B-But I'm a boy!"  
  
"If you will allow me to finish Mr. Weasley. As I was saying wizards who are in a same sex relationship and want to have children also take the potion. In short, you're pregnant." ________________________________________________________  
Madame Pomfrey had then informed him that the Headmaster would have to be informed as well as his parents. He could almost see the howler that he'd receive from his mum over this situation. He begged her to let him inform the Headmaster, who would probably contact his parents directly. She agreed to it, but advised him not to put it off as he would be giving birth in about 8 months. After leaving the infirmary he ran into Hermione who demanded to know what was wrong with him. Sensing that she wouldn't let it drop until she got an answer, he told her everything. Being the good friend that she was she agreed to keep his confidence, but did stress that Harry would have to be told.  
Right, Ron thought to himself, one problem down and a million to go. Now he had to find the courage to tell the Headmaster.________________________________________________________  
Using the password that Madame Pomfrey had given him he made his way to the Headmaster's office.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Weasley. What can I do for you? Lemon Drop?"  
  
Ron politely refused the offered sweet and stared at his own feet while stating his reasons for coming to see the Headmaster. To his credit Dumbledore calmly asked only a few questions before writing a short note to the Weasley's. He handed it to fawkes who then set off to deliver it. Ron and Dumbledore talked for a few more moments before Ron slipped off into sleep. He awoke to find his parents in the room. ________________________________________________________  
"Albus, what is it? What's happened?"  
  
"Now, now calm yourself Molly. All is quite well I assure you."  
  
"Don't you try to tell me that everything is well. You don't firecall our home and ask us to come to Hogwarts for no reason at all. Is it the twins? Have they done something? Are they being expelled? Are..."  
  
"Molly dear if you would take time to breathe perhaps the headmaster could tell us why we're here."  
  
"Thank you Arthur. Some weeks ago Severus came back from one of his meeting with Voldemort feeling rather puzzled. Normally when the dark lord asks him to brew a potion it's something rather unpleasant in nature. Not this time however. Severus informed me that Voldemort wanted two unusual potions. Unusual for him that is. Well to make a long story short he wanted Severus to prepare both the Gravis and the Lusteus potion. I must admit I too was at sea as to what Voldemort would want with those two potions. I have just recently learned the answer and that brings us to the reason for this meeting."  
  
"But Albus I don't understand. What could those two potions have to do with our family?"  
  
"I'm just coming to that Arthur. Apparently Voldemort's plan involved spiking the pumkin juice of one of your children with the Gravis..."  
  
"Oh no! Please don't tell me that Ginny is..."  
  
"No Molly Ginny is not pregnant. The situation is a bit more complex than that."  
  
"But then...." she looked quickly over at Ron who seemed to be trying to sink literally into the floor. Comprehension dawned on her face a moment before she hit the floor in a dead faint.  
  
Ten minutes later with the combined help of an ennervate and a strong cup of tea (laced with a mild calming draught) Mrs. Weasley was a bit more composed. Molly looked at her youngest son in disbelief. How could Ron possibly be expecting a baby. Still if Dumbledore said it was so, then chances were it was. Which left one very important question in her mind.  
  
"W-who's the father Ron?"  
  
"Harry."  
  
Molly willed herselft not to faint again. Ron needed her awake, not passed out on the floor. "Does he know?"  
  
"No mum," Ron lowered his eyes to the floor as if he'd never seen it before.  
  
Crossing the room, Molly gently took Ron's chin in her hand forcing him to face her. "Why not Ron?"  
  
I..I'm afraid to. Harry's my best mate and all that, but...."  
  
"But this isn't quite the sort of thing you usually share with a best friend," Molly finished for him.  
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
"Ron he has to be told. As the child's father he has the right to know. Would you like your father to discuss the matter with him?"  
  
At this question Albus noticed that Arthur began to look quite uncomfortable. Albus couldn't blame him. After all how do you tell a young man that he's gotten your son pregnant. And to make matters worse it wasn't just any young wizard that he'd have to discuss this with, but the boy-who-lived.  
  
"You are quite welcome to borrow my office Arthur."  
  
Arthur sighed. He knew he was trapped. "Thank you Albus."  
  
______________________________________________________  
  
Harry was confused. To his knowledge he hadn't done anything wrong. But here he was outside the Headmaster's office once again. He knocked.  
  
"Come in."  
  
Strange, the voice didn't sound like the Headmaster? Slowly he opened the door and found himself facing a very uncomfortable looking Arthur Weasley. He didn't know what was going on but he had a feeling he was going to find out very soon and that he wasn't going to like it.  
  
Ten minutes later he was sure he didn't like it. Ron pregnant? And he was the father? He'd always wanted to have a family, but had never expected this. And certainly not with Ron of all people. Sure he liked Ron, but in the past he'd thought of Ron in pure platonic terms. Well he couldn't just leave Ron holding the bag, or rather the baby. He would do the honorable thing. Besides he had to admit that Ron was rather cute. Whoa! Where had that come from? 


	2. part 2

AN: Well here's part two of "The Honorable Thing." I hope everyone is enjoying it so far. I plan to write a bit more yet so don't worry about finding out what Ron is expecting. It's coming up at the end of part 3. hehehe. P.S. I appreciate the reviews I've gotten so far. :)  
  
Harry tried to talk to Ron all that day but Ron seemed to be avoiding him. Finally later that evening back in Gryffindore tower he managed to corner his red headed friend.  
  
"Ron, we have to talk."  
  
"What about?"  
  
"Don't play the innocent with me Ron, you know what we need to talk about."  
  
"Ok, ok, keep it down already. Look tomorrow is the start of a Hogsmeade weekend right?"  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"So let's drop the subject til then. We can get some butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks and discuss it without an audience."  
  
Harry considered this a moment, and came to the conclusion that Ron was right. There were too many pairs of ears nearby at any one time in the Gryffindore common room for any conversation to ever really be private. At the very least at the Three Broomsticks they could take a room for an hour or so to talk in private, and maybe even get some snogging in...Whoa! What was going on? First he finds himself thinking Ron is cute and now he's thinking of snogging him? What was happening to him? Realizing that Ron might misinterpret his continued silence as disagreement he hastened to answer. "Sure that sounds great."  
  
Looking at Ron's stomach he still couldn't believe that his child was growing inside the other boy. True his life had never been anywhere near that of a normal wizard so far, but this situation took the cake. He had fathered a child on another boy! A boy who had been his best friend since the first day of their first year. Looking at the "mother?" of his unborn child he could tell that the other boy was almost asleep on his feet.  
  
"Come on Ron, it's time for bed." _______________________________________________________  
The next afternoon found the two boys sitting in one of Madame Rosemerta's private rooms. Neither boy seemed to quite know where to begin at first. Then as if on cue both began to talk at once.  
  
"Ron I..."  
  
"Harry I..."  
  
"You first Ron."  
  
"No Harry you first."  
  
"Ron why didn't you tell me? Were you so ashamed of me that you couldn't tell me?"  
  
"N-no Harry. I only found out the other day. But I was also afraid."  
  
"Afraid? Afraid of what?"  
  
"Afraid of your reaction. How you would take the news. Afraid you might not want it. Afraid that our friendship would be over." Ron began to cry.  
  
Rising from his chair Harry crossed the room and knelt in front of his best friend. "Ron, Ron look at me." Ron did.  
  
"Ron I'm not angry at you. And I'm certainly not going to turn away. Do you remember the tri-wizard tournament during our 4th year, when you were in the lake?" Ron nodded. He had awakened to find himself under water.  
  
"Ron the reason you were under the water was that the champions had to prove their courage by retrieving the most important person in their lives from the bottom of the lake. For me that was you. Not Ginny, not Dean, Seamus or Neville, not Hermione, you. I'll always be there for you Ron, and I'll prove it."  
  
"H-how?"  
  
Searching the pockets of his robe Harry found an empty chocolate frog box which he proceeded to transfigure before presenting it to Ron. Ron opened the box and gasped aloud. He looked at his best friend of almost seven years in amazement. Inside the transfigured box lay a beautiful engagement ring.  
  
"Ron Weasley will you marry me?" __________________________________________________  
Harry was miserable. Ron had broken down in tears before accepting his proposal, and all had been right with the world until he had put his foot in his mouth. He'd told Ron that he believed in doing the honorable thing, and had set the red heads Weasley temper off. The result was that Ron had come to believe that Harry didn't really want him, but just wanted to avoid a scandal. They had then fought and Ron had run off leaving his fiance to kick himself in regret. He should have been more careful of his words. Ron was emotional enough at the best of times, but now with the extra hormones flooding his system it was a given that he'd need careful handling. And Harry had blown it. He sighed. Well there was nothing else to do but try to find Ron and grovel as he'd never groveled before. He was so intent on his mission that he never even heard the stunning curse before it hit. One minute everything had been bright as midday (which it was) and the next everything went black. _______________________________________________  
He awakened an unknown time later to find himself chained to a wall in a cold, dark room. Ron was nowhere in sight, but Harry sensed that he wasn't very far away.  
  
"Well, well, Harry Potter, we meet again."  
  
He turned toward the voice. Great, as if things couldn't get any worse, now Voldemort had to put his two pence in. Not for the first time he wondered if the universe had a personal vendetta against Harry Potter.  
  
"What do you want Voldemort?"  
  
"Why I'd think that was obvious Mr. Potter. I want you to die in pain. Crucio!"  
  
Harry screamed as pain flooded his body in waves for what seemed an eternity. Suddenly the curse was lifted. He drew on his reserves of strength to look Voldemort in the eye.  
  
"Oh no Mr. Potter we aren't done yet. Far from it. You will suffer far more before you die. First I will kill your 'friend' and the unborn spawn that he carries. Oh yes Mr. Potter I know all about your children. It was I who gave the order for the son of that muggle lover Weasley to be given the Gravis potion. Killing your friends is pleasant enough, but killing your child right in front of your eyes will be a luxury." A moment later, as if by a silent signal two deatheaters dragged a struggling Ron Weasley into the room and threw him at the feet of their master.  
Pointing his wand directly at Ron Voldemort began to speak the killing curse. "Avada..." It was then that something unexpected occured. Harry suddenly felt a burst of energy well up from inside himself and then he was unrestrained, standing on the floor and certain of what he had to do. Without thinking he grabbed a very shocked Voldemort by the left forearm and concentrated. At first everything was darkness and silence except for a tiny glowing spot upon which he focused his total attention. Then the sound of multiple voices screaming louder and louder in pain reached him while at the same time the glowing spot got dimmer and dimmer.  
Back at Hogwarts Severus Snape, potion master, and ex-deatheater suddenly dropped to the floor of his office, out cold. Other loyal deatheaters were not so lucky. Whereever they were, working at the Ministry of Magic, at home on their family estates, or out on errands for their master, they dropped in their tracks, dead. As did Voldemort himself. The instant Voldemort was dead the world flooded back into Harry's mind. He was so tired. Opening his eyes he saw his love lying unconscious on the floor. He crawled slowly over to Ron and lay his head on the other's chest. The sound of a slow but steady heartbeat reassured him, but he knew that he had to get them back to someplace safe lest any of Voldemort's supporters were still around to finish what the dark lord had started. Allowing his head to rest upon Ron's chest he concentrated on appearing as close to Hogwarts as possible. He felt himself falling and then he was lying on solid ground again. Raising his head he could see the gates of Hogwarts just a short distance away. Wandlessly he cast a simple fireworks spell, then let oblivion claim him. 


	3. Part 3

AN: Well here's the third and final piece of this story. I may one day write a sequel, but first I'd have to find a proper villain. Maybe I'll have to advertise in the Daily Prophet. Something like: Dark lord wanted. Must be adept at dark magic, and enjoy plotting to take over the world. :) P.S. Don't own so please don't sue.  
  
Harry opened his eyes to find himself staring up at a very familiar, very white ceiling. He sighed. The infirmary was almost like a second home to him. Well, he thought, at least we're at Hogwarts. This thought reminded him of Ron, and he quickly sat up and began looking round, his heart thumping wildly. Ron! Where was Ron? Was he ok? Was the baby alright? Was.....  
  
"Ah, you're awake Harry. Good Madame Pomfrey was becoming concerned."  
  
Harry turned toward the voice. Though his vision was blurry without his glasses he could still distinguish enough to recognize the Headmaster.  
  
"Professor where's Ron? Is he ok? Is the baby..."  
  
"Slow down Harry. Breathe. Both Mr. Weasley and the child are fine." The old wizard smiled, knowingly. "I believe that Mr. Weasley is currently getting some much needed rest. He has not left your side these many days."  
  
"T-these many days?"  
  
"Yes Harry. You have been unconscious for almost two full weeks. Mr. Weasley was kind enough to fill in as many blanks as he could, but there are still a few gaps. What happened after you were taken before Voldemort?"  
  
His mind reeling a bit from the shock of finding out he'd been out cold for that long, Harry told the aged Headmaster what he knew. When he finished Dumbledore just nodded."  
  
"Well I believe I've kept the news of your recovery from Mr. Weasley for long enough. Good day Harry."  
  
"Good day Headmaster."  
  
The older wizard had scarcely been gone for ten minutes when Ron came running in through the door."  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"Ron!"  
  
The red headed boy launched himself into the arms of his child's father and began to weep. Harry began to gently rub at his back in an attempt to calm the boy who meant more to him than all the gold in Gringott's.  
  
"Shhh. Ron it's alright. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere." Ron just continued to weep. _________________________________________________________  
  
Harry thought back over all the events that had led to this moment and smiled. After Ron had finished having his cry they had snuggled together on Harry's bed and talked of many things including their feeling toward each other and the future. Then they had shared their first (that they could remember anyway) kiss. Now they were getting married. Harry looked at the clock as he hurried outside. Both his and Ron's hands pointed to, almost time. Molly had had Arthur add the hand with Harry's picture several months before. Harry had broken down, which had confused everyone, except for Ron. To Harry it hadn't just been a picture on a clock hand. It had been acceptance, belonging. He hurried out the door. His love would be waiting.  
  
________________________________________________________  
Merlin's beard. What was taking so long? Harry had, with Hermione's help, found and read every book he could find on male pregnancy. Alas the books had been lacking a few details. Like how the long hours of waiting could drive the expectant father mad with worry. He paced the room.  
  
"Mr. Potter."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Congratulations you have two healthy children, and their mother is doing just fine." At the healer's words Harry felt the steel strong tension leave his body, and he slipped bonelessly to the floor. Ron was alright! And the babies were fine! W-wha? Babies?  
  
"Excuse me but perhaps I heard you wrong. Did you say babies?"  
  
"Yes Mr. Potter. You have two adorable children."  
  
Upon processing this information Harry promptly followed the example set by his mother-in-law several months before. He fainted. ____________________________________________________  
Ron looked Happy. Tired, but happy. Harry at the face of his sleeping mate, and smiled. Nestled gently in the arms of his love were two tiny bundles. As Harry stood over his husband's bed looking down on his family he felt a trill of joy flow through him not unlike the feeling that he'd had whenever he'd heard Fawkes sing. One of the babies cooed in its sleep, and Ron's eyes flew open. "H-Harry?"  
  
"Shh love. I'm here."  
  
Ron looked down at the silent forms of his two sleeping children. "What are we going to call them?"  
  
"Well Ron I've sort of had two names floating round in my mind for months."  
  
"What names?"  
  
"Rupert and Emma. I don't know why, but they just won't leave."  
  
"Hmmm. Rupert and Emma huh? I guess I can live with that. At least our daughter got my hair." Ron grinned.  
  
"What about my hair?"  
  
"No offence love, but your hair is a disaster."  
  
"Oh and I suppose that your trademark Weasley red is better?"  
  
"You know it."  
  
Harry couldn't help himself. He just had to laugh. Unfortunatly his gust of mirth succeeded in rousing the twins who immediatly began to cry in harmony. After shooting him a reproachful look worthy of his own mother Ron set about trying to calm the twins down. Harry just looked at his family and smiled. Voldemort was gone, Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy had gone the way of their master and he had a loving spouse and family. Life just couldn't get any better.  
  
The End 


End file.
